Dozens of High-Security Collection Boxes Deployed in Birmingham
As part of the nation-wide Project Safe Delivery initiative, the Birmingham area has joined the ranks of multiple cities across the United States with the installment of high-security collection boxes. Designed to tackle the escalating crime rates concerning attacks and threats to postal employees coupled with mail theft incidents, this ensures the utmost security and safety for mail and parcels. The U.S. Postal Service and U.S. Postal Inspection Service recently provided a pressing update on the project, which has been beneficial in reducing the crime rate drastically.
Substantial Reduction in Postal Crimes
A noticeable plummet in the number of postal crimes has been observed since the implementation of the Project Safe Delivery. Specifically, there has been a considerable decline in the reported robberies of mail carriers by 19% and a remarkable 34% decrease in mail theft complaints over the last five months. The initiative launched in May 2023 has resulted in a 73% increase in arrests for letter carrier robberies in the fiscal year of 2024 compared to the previous fiscal year.
Deployment of High-Security Boxes Across the United States
The initiative aims to secure mail and parcel delivery systems across all 50 states. Since its inception, about 15,000 hardened blue collection boxes and 28,000 electronic locking mechanisms have been effectively installed in areas known for high postal crimes. An additional 8,500 new blue boxes are in the pipeline for installation. These updated boxes are designed with a thin slit for mail deposit rather than a pull-down opening to prevent the possibility of mailbox fishing.
Birmingham Area Witnesses Remarkable Improvements
Since April 2023, up until now, the Alabama-Mississippi District of USPS has witnessed the installment of 211 high-security collection boxes, 78 of which were specifically implemented in the Birmingham area. To further ensure security, another 15 boxes are scheduled for installation, with 10 out of the 15 designated specifically for Birmingham.
The U.S. Postal Inspector, Julie Nicholson-Morgan remarked, “The letter carriers were often the targets for the thieves who sought their keys. However, by replacing the arrow locks with electronic locking mechanisms, any duplication is impossible. The situation is akin to a two-step authentication process.” She expressed contentment over the progress achieved in curtailing postal crimes in the Birmingham area.
Incentive for Valuable Information
Despite the advancements in security, residents are still advised to take caution by not leaving their mail overnight in personal mailboxes or depositing them in collection boxes after operational hours. To involve the community hands-on in this mission, the monetary reward for information leading to identification, arrest, and conviction of individuals involved in postal crimes has been augmented to $150,000 from the original $50,000. Any leads can be shared on the USPIS website or else by calling 877-876-2455.
